Bentley Continental T

The Continental T was the high-performance, short-wheelbase variant of the Continental R coupe — 4 inches shorter in wheelbase, with widened arches over wider tracks, stiffer suspension, and the most powerful version of the 6.75-litre turbocharged V8 yet seen in a production Bentley. Launched late 1996 as a 1997 model, the Continental T was Bentley's most aggressive coachbuilt coupe of the era and consciously evoked the original 1952 R-Type Continental's mission as a sporting GT. Production was small — roughly 322 cars total across the 1996-2002 run, with US examples particularly rare. Engine output rose from 420 hp at launch to 426 hp by 2000 (up from 385 in the standard Continental R), with the four-speed automatic carried over. The Continental T's interior featured machine-turned aluminium trim panels (a deliberate visual reference to the period when Bentley had a racing pedigree) — a major break from the wood-and-leather convention. Replaced by the W12-engined Continental GT for 2003, which was a completely different (and much higher-volume) car.